SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The remaining living Israeli hostages finally returned home to their families on Monday.
"It's just absolutely incredible. You can't make this up, this joy," said Dar Halevy Feldman.
"I was watching the news until 4am, until I physically couldn't stay awake anymore," said Shoshana Rice.
The Jewish and Israeli community in San Diego is feeling pure joy and relief.
"I think the entire country couldn't breathe for two years," Feldman said.
"We can finally like breathe," Rice said.
Two women in San Diego have spent the last two years connecting with survivors of the Hamas attack in Israel. Dar Halevy Feldman and Shoshana Rice started a nonprofit called 'Faces of October 7th' just weeks after the attack, inviting Israeli survivors to the United States to share their experience of that day.
"To be able to connect with someone personally who survived a terrorist massacre like that and to stand strong and speak, it's so powerful," Rice said.
Over the past two years, the nonprofit has flown survivors to hundreds of college campuses and communities across the country. Crowds listening to their stories were also reminded of those who were killed and those who remained in captivity.
"The survivors kept on saying 'we cannot start recovering until the last person will be home.' Because it could've been them. It could've been any of us," Feldman said.
Feldman and Rice say even though the hostages were released, their work isn't done yet.
"We still need to bear witness to what happened on October 7th," Rice said.
So that others can understand why these moments hold deep meaning and reassurance for their communities.
Faces of October 7 is inviting survivor Yoni Viloga to speak at UCSD Hillel on Tuesday evening. You can RSVP for the event here.
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